New tunes from the violin

Amidst a hectic schedule of international concerts and performances in the country violin virtuoso L. Subramaniam has composed music for a film.

Violin virtuoso L. Subramaniam. Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

It was ten at night and the hotel lobby was almost empty but for a few guests who were impatiently waiting to be ushered into the comfort of their rooms. Outside, the rain had taken a short break. Soothing instrumental music wafted in from one of the lounges. Just when you thought of walking across to where the music came from L. Subramaniam walked in. He reached out with a warm handshake, apologised for having kept us waiting and settled down in one of those comfy sofas.

The top-notch violinist, composer and conductor who composed for almost all the leading orchestras of the world, collaborated with them, and worked with the greatest names in Indian and Western music, looked a tad weary. The globetrotting violinist was on a brief stopover in his native place slotted amidst a hectic schedule.

“I had a minor surgery and was advised rest. This meant rescheduling my whole programme. As a result of which I got a couple of days and we, my family is with me, decided to spend it in Alappuzha, my father’s place and Tripunithura, my mother’s place. So, it was the usual visit to the temples there, a day on a houseboat… and then we had to find an apartment for my son Narayana, who after completing his MS is joining Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences for his MCh. Do I really look tired?” asks Subramaniam with a smile.

Narayana, an MS in surgery, is a poet and singer who loves ghazals. He is now realising his father’s dream. Subramaniam gave up a medical career for the sake of music. “There was a German violinist who heard me and told my father that he was ready to teach me. My father wanted me to learn from him. He wanted the violin to be solo-lead instrument. It was his wish that the Indian violin be heard at the greatest venues of the world. But my mother was adamant that I complete by medical degree. Finally, my mother’s will prevailed. I completed my MBBS but did not practice except for writing down prescriptions for my family. Very few know that I’m a qualified medical practitioner. Through Narayana I’m realising my dream.”

Subramaniam’s rescheduled itinerary has the violinist playing back-to-back concerts in the US, Canada and France from August to October. For someone who has played all around the world with almost every orchestra worth its salt does he look forward to anything new this time? “Oh yes! I’m looking forward to playing with Arve Tellefsen, a brilliant violinist and the Oslo Symphony Orchestra. And then there’s this new piece I have written, which will be played by the Pittsburg Symphony Orchestra.”

Subramaniam is back to films with

Gauri Hari Dastaan: The Freedom File after

Salaam Bombay and

Mississippi Masala . He says that the songs and the music in the new film are different.

“I have treaded very carefully, especially in handling Vaishnavo janato …which is in a distinctive style. Pandit Jasraj ji and Kavita have brought out the essence of the famous song with a soulful presentation. My children Bindu and Ambi have assisted me in the compositions with Bindu and Narayana rendering songs. With a minimalist score I have tried to enhance the characters and the film’s defining moments.”

Fortunate to have been able to play alongside the great masters of Indian classical music, Subramaniam feels that was a golden era when finding a place on stage itself demanded so much from a musician. “Palghat Mani Iyer, the mridangam maestro for example, always encouraged me and my brothers (Vaidyanathan and Shenkar) to go solo and even played in some of my early studio recordings. The masters understood our talent and egged us on.”

No conversation with Subramaniam is complete without mention of Yehudi Menuhin. The legendary violinist remains his idol.

“My father wanted me to listen to him and if possible meet him. Menuhin was an open-minded musician and a great human being who opened the doors of the West to other genres of music. And going on to share the stage with him, compose a piece for him at a time when people waited for an appointment with him, was simply amazing.”

Despite the sea change that music has undergone Subramaniam believes that a musician must be able to adapt and move on firmly sticking to one’s own style.

“It is our responsibility to make this generation listen to our brand of music. For this we need to innovate and create anew. When music has been reduced to shortened snatches to be heard on one’s mobile phone during a car ride a musician must be able to adapt. Way back in the 1980s I introduced the jugalbandi. Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and I played at Lincoln Center setting off a trend. Recently, I managed to persuade Jasrajji to join me in a unique jugalbandi where we had only the alaap with no accompaniment. It was very well received at the venues where we performed. This must keep happening.”

It was eleven by now. The music had long stopped and the lobby was silent. Subramaniam still had us entranced with his talk; soft, serene like Indian music with the magnetism of Western….and then it was time to break the spell.